Rocky Mountaineer is a Canadian rail-tour company in Western Canada that operates trains on three rail routes through British Columbia and Alberta. Rocky Mountaineer trains operate exclusively during the day to maximize scenic views, therefore, no sleeper service is offered. All trips include overnight stops at which passengers disembark and stay in hotels. As Rocky Mountaineer is primarily a railtour service, not an intercity passenger train, all journeys are end-to-end. Between their origin and destination, trains only stop for overnight layovers, and no passengers may begin or end their journeys at these stations. The one exception to these provisions is the First Passage to the West route, which has an intermediate stop at Lake Louise where westbound passengers may board and eastbound passengers may disembark. No tickets are sold solely for the Banff-Lake Louise portion of the trip. Trains only operate in the tourist season of April to October.
Operating on all routes, Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf service is a custom-designed, bi-level, glass-domed coach with full-length windows and reclining seats that can be rotated to accommodate groups of four. Guests on board this service are attended to by three to four onboard hosts, in addition to the culinary team. Guests are offered hot meals prepared on board the train, served to them in the lower level dining car. Beverages and snacks are also offered to guests throughout the journey. The two levels of the GoldLeaf coach are accessible by a spiral staircase or an ADA elevator. GoldLeaf service will not be offered on the future Rockies to the Red Rocks route, as the coaches are taller than Amtrak’s Superliner cars, and thus would not be able to clear the 28 tunnels on the planned route.
Operating on the same routes as GoldLeaf, Rocky Mountaineer’s SilverLeaf service is a custom-designed, single level glass domed coach with oversized windows and reclining seats. Guests onboard are attended to by two to three onboard hosts, and offered a hot entrée option for breakfast and lunch served at their seat and plated to their preference. Complimentary beverages are served throughout the journey, including: wine, beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. Gourmet snacks are also offered throughout the journey.
Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded the “World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” at the World Travel Awards seven times for its GoldLeaf service and was recognized by National Geographic Magazine as one of the “World’s Best Journeys” in 2007. The Society of American Travel Writers, the world’s largest organization of professional travel journalists and photographers, rated the Rocky Mountaineer as the world’s top train ride in 2009. Rocky Mountaineer currently operates train journeys on three routes, all in Canada, with a fourth in the United States to begin operation in 2021. Two additional routes (one in Canada and one international) are no longer operated.
Rockies to the Red Rocks: This route will travel between Denver and Moab with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs. It will operate on Union Pacific Railroad trackage. Announced in November 2020, this route will begin service in 2021.
Whistler Mountaineer/Whistler Sea to Sky Climb: This route was a day trip operating between North Vancouver and Whistler on Canadian National Railway trackage. It was discontinued after the 2015 season and incorporated into the overlapping Rainforest to Gold Rush route.
Coastal Passage: This route was a day trip operating between Seattle and Vancouver on BNSF Railway trackage, intended to provide travellers from the United States with easier access to the other Vancouver-based routes. It was discontinued after the 2019 season due to low demand.
